Ganondorf will always return toThe Legend of Zeldano matter how thorough his defeat, but his next emergence in Hyrule could still have a radical effect on the Kingdom beyond his usual attempts at conquest. Although the figure of Ganondorf is an enduring part of the franchise,Zeldais also known for the many different changes that Hyrule has undergone in its history. Crucially, some of these changes could lead to a dramatic twist following Ganondorf’s next appearance.
Whether in his original Gerudo form or as the demon Ganon, the King of Evil has repeatedly appeared to plague Hyrule in his attempts to conquer or outright destroy it. Of course, these ambitions have never led to his total victory, and usually see him killed by Link instead. However,Ganondorf is essentially immortal, both through his canonical resurrections and the simple fact that as the series’ most iconic villain, it would be absurd to set him aside forever. But althoughGanondorf’s core character arc will continue to repeat, its next iteration may still see some major changes.
Ganondorf’s Rule Could Split The Gerudo
His Right To Be Their King Might Not Be Respected By All Gerudo
Assuming thatGanondorf begins his next life as a Gerudo, having been reincarnated as such one more, he would be most likely regarded as their rightful king as per the Gerudo’s ancient tradition. But at the same time,that isn’t to say that the Gerudo would universally accept himas such. This would be especially as the extent of Ganondorf’s become evident and his true colors start to show. Instead,in response to their would-be king’s lust for power, there could be a schism in the Gerudo tribe.
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Far from their origins as being loyal soldiers of Ganondorf, the Gerudo have undergone apowerful redemption arc inThe Legend of Zelda. In modernZeldagames, they are firmly on the side of good, and have stood in direct opposition to Ganondorf. With that in mind,it is far from inconceivable for a large part of the Gerudo tribe to rebel against Ganondorfas his evil nature becomes clear, perhaps to the point of triggering a civil war with those who are more willing to fall in line behind their king.
Not Every Gerudo Has Obeyed Ganondorf
Several Prominent Gerudo Have Opposed Ganondorf Throughout The Franchise
Of course,not every Gerudo has been entirely loyal to Ganondorf even when he has been reigning as their king.Ocarina of Time’s Nabooru, his second in command, is the quintessential example of this; she is even brainwashed for her rebellion against him before later awakening as the Sage of Spirit. With the Gerudo as a whole being far more morally upstanding sinceBreath of the Wild, there would undoubtedly be far more than one or two isolated dissenters to Ganondorf unless their characterization was radically changed.
Urbosa and Riju inBOTW, and then the latter again inTOTK, clearly represent the Gerudo as Chiefs in their respective eras, making their personal opposition of Ganondorf (who is effectively their male counterpart) all the more significant.
It is also worth noting that something akin to a Gerudo civil war appears to occur in the background ofTears of the Kingdom’s ancient era. Specifically, the memoryThe Sage’s Vowbegins with a report of the“last free village in the Gerudo Desert”falling, and the ancient Geruso Sage clearly opposes him. This implies thatthe Gerudo have not always been united and Ganondorf needed to conquer a large portion of the Gerudoto bring them under his banner. If this were to happen again, it could trigger a conflict with consequences that would echo across Hyrule.
A Gerudo Civil War Would Be A Unique Problem For Link
A Zelda Game Would Have Interesting Opportunities With The Race Split In Two
Of course, while a Gerudo civil war would make sense givenGanondorf’s established ruthlessness in previousZeldagames, it is also important to note that this would pose an unusual problem for Link.Zeldagames typically treat each race as a united group with a singular identity, with a few prominent characters existing to guide the plot as Link encounters them.The Gerudo splitting like this would create a form of tension rarely seen in the franchise, especially if sympathetic characters existed on both sides of the conflict despite Ganondorf’s own maliciousness.
Naturally,this type of conflict would presumably form a major part of the nextZeldagame if it were included, and could see Link both working with and against Gerudo over the course of the game. This in turn could provide some very emotional moments as once-friendly Gerudo now find themselves set against each other, perhaps requiring Link to find common ground and convince as many Gerudo as possible to leave Ganondorf. Thenext majorZeldatitle on the Switch 2would undoubtedly benefit from a storyline like this, which plays off Ganondorf’s traditional role in a novel way.
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A war amongst the Gerudo would be the logical result of their evolution independent of Ganondorf clashing with his resurgence within their culture. It would also be an interesting new angle forThe Legend of Zeldato explore, posing a problem with widespread social consequences very unlike the issues Link is usually tasked with resolving. Likewise, it would shake Hyrule in a way that it has not experienced before, which in itself is an intriguing prospect for the franchise that is arguably worth exploring.
